The distance between Lingzhou and Hejing is very close on the map, even closer than Hejing and Xizhou. However, this seemingly short distance is blocked by an extremely tall Lengxi Mountain and countless undulating hills.
Xia Zhaoyi only took Zhan Ning and a coachman there. The coachman's surname was Zhuang, and Shopkeeper Hu and others called him Zhuang Qi.
The carriage moved very slowly. After several hours of trekking, at dusk, the carriage covered by an awning stopped in front of the government office of Gaoxi Town, Lingzhou in the heavy rain.
Zhuang Qi stepped forward to hand over the invitation. As soon as the guards in front of the door heard the word "Miss Ali", their originally leisurely eyes suddenly changed, and they focused on looking at this strange carriage at first glance.
The carriage has a carriage, which will not be exposed to the rain, but there are several wooden supports erected on it. Together with the supports extending diagonally upward on both sides of the coachman, they hold up a rainproof cowhide oilcloth.
A cowhide oilcloth perfectly covered the two horses holding the carriage.
One of the government guards cupped his fists and said, "Adults, please wait a moment. I will go and invite Magistrate Xu right now!"
The first person to greet him was Detective Cai Ershui, who met the yamen guard halfway.
As soon as he heard that Miss Ah Li was coming, Cai Ershui immediately ran out and saw the back of the girl who had gotten off the carriage and was standing under the eaves outside the door to watch the rain. Cai Ershui was very happy: "Miss Ah Li! You are really here!!"
Xia Zhaoyi turned his head and curled his lips with a smile: "Captain Cai, we meet again."
"Please, please, Miss Ali, please come in quickly and don't let the wind blow outside!"
Xia Zhaoyi followed him in with a smile, and opened his umbrella and said: "The wind is not uncomfortable at all. It is indeed the wind in Lingzhou, and it is indeed not comparable to the wind elsewhere."
Cai Ershui said: "It's comfortable on weekdays, but there are always a few strong winds every summer and autumn, which is really scary."
Magistrate Xu's voice came from afar: "Miss Ah Li! But Miss Ah Li?!"
He walked quickly up the verandah, and the heavy rain outside the verandah made half of his official uniform wet.
Xia Zhaoyi said: "Hello, Magistrate Xu."
Cai Ershui said: "Master Xu, this is Miss Ali!"
Magistrate Xu is not old, but his skin is quite dark and he looks older. Therefore, he looks ten years older than his actual age.
After Cai Ershui came back from Hejing a few days ago, he specially described the girl's grace and grace to him, but now that he saw her so young, Magistrate Xu could not hide his surprise.
The wind and rain were blowing diagonally from outside the corridor. Xia Zhaoyi's umbrella was half-tilted to block the crackling rain. After a brief polite greeting, she went straight to the point.
While Magistrate Xu led her to the back hall, he listened to her slowly talking about the battle situation in Tangzhong Township. He suddenly stopped and said, "What Miss Ali means is that she needs to go out overnight to outflank her? But if it rains so heavily, it will go out overnight.
This is really dangerous and will make your eyes dark.”
"No need," Xia Zhaoyi also stopped and said, "It's just a matter of a few messengers rushing through the rain to let the soldiers stationed there prepare."
Magistrate Xu looked troubled: "Miss Ali, I'll tell you the truth, the number of soldiers currently stationed there is only about 800..."
Xia Zhaoyi smiled faintly: "The wind is roaring, the grass and trees are all in danger, and for such a heavy rain, eight hundred people are enough."
"But the Tangzhong Army has at least 20,000 soldiers and horses. If they don't believe it, wouldn't the 800 of us be in vain..."
Xia Zhaoyi interrupted him, his voice still calm and gentle: "Mr. Xu, the rain is so heavy, the Tangzhong Army will not and dare not easily take risks. If there is an open place to go, they will only head towards the higher ground."
Alinggu retreats."
"But there is no road ahead in Aling Valley, and the terrain is dangerous. Will they go there?"
Xia Zhaoyi smiled: "Do they know there is no road in Aling Valley?"
County Magistrate Xu slowly frowned: "...it's possible that they didn't know that, even though they came from Tangzhong Township, they must have sent someone to explore the way, or maybe they found local people to lead the way."
Xia Zhaoyi looked at him and his smile deepened: "County Magistrate Xu, if you were the general of the Tangzhong Army, what would you do? Should you fight an unprepared battle all night in the pouring rain, or should you temporarily avoid the limelight and seek higher ground?
It’s better to take shelter from the rain and wait until dawn when the rain stops before you come out?”
Magistrate Xu was stunned for a moment, and his eyes were filled with deep thought: "I...but that Aling Valley is really dangerous."
"Aling Valley is dangerous and has no way out, and so is the uprising. Since ancient times, which general of the rebel army would not have great determination and greater luck than ordinary people under the prevailing trend. Besides, Aling Valley is bigger than three
Gaoxi Town is still big, so General Tangzhong won’t believe it when he says there is no road ahead. Even if he really believes it, he is absolutely convinced that he can get out of such vast and magnificent mountains and rivers safely.”
Magistrate Xu nodded slightly: "It seems to be the truth..."
Xia Zhaoyi slightly raised his umbrella and looked at the heavy rain outside the verandah: "Retreat ten thousand steps. If they really fight out overnight, our eight hundred soldiers have the advantage of the terrain and can retreat quickly. Although it will be embarrassing, it will lose morale.
But at least there are no injuries. Magistrate Xu, this heavy rain is actually a blessing from heaven. After the rain stops early tomorrow morning, our troops have arrived, and in Aling Valley, there will be mountains and rivers falling from the sky. We are at several major exits
Set up roadblocks everywhere, wait for the scattered soldiers to come down one by one, and just accept them."
Cai Ershui suddenly said: "Then, what happens after we accept them?"
Magistrate Xu said: "They are all poor people, so let's put them back..."
Cai Ershui was surprised: "Put it back? Wouldn't that mean letting the tiger return to the mountain, in case it rebels again?"
Magistrate Xu looked at Xia Zhaoyi and whispered: "In the previous dynasty, taxes were heavy and the people's livelihood was difficult, so we had to rebel. If there were looser policies, then the people would..."
Xia Zhaoyi smiled softly, turned around and said, "Magistrate Xu, please first send messenger troops to Huangmiao Village in Aling Valley for deployment."
"……yes."
Because it was known in advance that the girl would come, a clean room had been prepared in the Houya compound.
But Lingzhou is really poor, the yamen are simple and simple, and it's also very humid.
Early the next morning, Magistrate Xu sent his wife and daughter to wait on Xia Zhaoyi, but he saw that she had already gotten up, wearing a thin white pajamas, her green hair hanging down her back was blown by the morning breeze, just standing in the courtyard in the bright sunshine.
Down.
Xia Zhaoyi raised her head and squinted her eyes, putting a weak hand on her forehead. When she heard the movement, she turned her head and reluctantly opened her eyes, but her eyes were filled with a bright golden light, and she could not see the face clearly yet.
Magistrate Xu's wife and daughter led several servants over quickly to say hello. When they saw the girl's beautiful and fair face, the women's eyes became amazed and they were full of praise.
Xia Zhaoyi's vision finally gradually improved, and she looked at the faces of these women one by one. She had already seen two of the maids when they served her food last night.
Their skin is rough, their fingers are rough, their clothes are light and thin, and their colors are dark. Except for Du Shaohong, the wife of County Magistrate Xu, who has one or two slightly wealthy accessories, it is hard to tell from their appearance alone.
The difference in status between her and other servants.
Seeing Xia Zhaoyi sizing them up, Du Shaohong stepped forward to introduce them one by one. Xia Zhaoyi smiled and nodded hello to them.
They all look like rough working peasant women, but these women are different from those in Qingxiang Village.
Not only in Qingxiang Village, but also in any village that Xia Zhaoyi has visited in the past five years, none of the women have this exuberant vitality and vitality, as well as a pure and natural self-confidence, and...
gas.
Their limbs are not very slender, and their heights are uneven. They are not as tall as the girls in Qingxiang Village, but no matter how tall or short they are, their eyes are bright and full of strength.
This feeling of strength and fitness is caused by the collision between the vigorous primitive wildness and the current civilization of rituals and music, just like the harmony between mountains and sea, and the coexistence of heaven and earth.
Xia Zhaoyi's smile became brighter. Her trip to Lingzhou was worth it.
